>> Saturday, October 29, 2011

Thank you all for coming to my party. Your comments meant a great deal to me. I had lots of fun posting with everyone's different interests in mind. Please feel free to grab the Party Favors at the end of the night.

All together there are three pages (About 30 posts) of treats such as a Personality Tests, Cooking tips, a Fashion Show and more. Just click on "Older Posts" on the bottom of page.

Lastly #50. Where are you? If you follow this site to become the 50th follower, you can still win the final prize. Click the Follow Button and send me an email to liveeverafter@gmail.com

Thanks again for your support and your visit to this site. It was lots of fun.All the Best!Live Ever After (Happily)

>> Friday, October 28, 2011

We have reached the end of our Celebration. Thank you so much for visiting. Don't be a stranger. I hope you enjoyed the videos, posts, tips, and chance to win prizes. And what would a party be without Party Favors for my guests. These were hard to come by and I did lots of research for them. (Everyone gets one each). Ha, Ha.

I do not have facebook and I signed up for a twitter account just to promote this blog. Also I did not have to add a picture. Last year my picture for this blog was my feet in a pair of new black pumps. So this year I will reveal myself as I have never shown anyone a photo of myself on the internet. (Except Linkedin, which was just last month). I'll reveal myself in the next post.

Number 50?

Are you out there? I will continue looking for the 50th Follower even after the party is over. They will still win a prize. Sign up an email me at liveeverafter@gmail.com

In relationships we tend to become one and that is the goal. The goal is to be unified and work in harmony with each other. In so doing, it is important to remember that everything is about balance. One should never, never, for the sake of a healthy relationship, never drop their guard and loose their boundary.

It is dangerous to loose yourself within the other person. When we are in the beginning stages of love we can't help ourselves. But once we take the romance to the next level, there is always that danger of being "sucked in" and loosing your identity.

Who were you before they came along? What is your strengths and weaknesses? What are your long term and short term goals? Are you actively pursuing them? These questions should always be in the forefront of your mind. Especially when you have children. That's a new season and it is best to take your time and nurture your family (which includes your husband). But keep your plans in the forefront of your mind even as a parent.

If you have given up, start fresh, even if you need to tweak your plans due to a change, even if others think it is stupid or it doesn't make money. Have a few goals to hold on to and continue to forge ahead. Do what you enjoy. In hindsight we always see what was better. Use foresight as well. Keep yourself happy by seeing the better you. Stay true to you and don't forget who you are and who you will be. (Write yourself a reminder if you need to : )

Why are people so intrigued with personality tests. Maybe we all like to learn about ourselves. There is a popular test among professionals called The Big Five-Personality test. Also known as OCEAN or CANOE I found one online. See what you think. (You probably knew the answer to the results already : )

This is off the top of my head of ideas I have done in the past that work. As I think of more I will add to it.

1) Once I was out of lemon for my tea and it dawned on me to use powdered lemonade mix (of course do not add sugar). I have to admit it was excellent.

2) I love soup. I realized there are 5 different soup bases for making the best soup; a base of Onion broth with gourmet cheese of your taste in it, Tomato broth with your favorite veggies, Shrimp broth (I honestly like to use the package seasoning from the Ramon soup packages) with of course seafood, Beef broth which you can add stew tomatoes and tasty meat you have cooked separate and then added,lastly, Cream stock with fresh dipping bread and whatever you might want to add like maybe broccoli or mushrooms.

3)I like to make my own sauces, especially for BBQ. You can spice up the sauce you purchase in the store. When I worked in an orphanage abroad, I missed American food and had to come up with my own meals. When we had dinner functions I would roast beef outside on the grill and make a BBQ sauce of Mustard, Ketchup and now I add Worcestershire sauce. It taste great on pork as well. There is also white BBQ sauce. You can use Mayonnaise, Beer and Apple cider. Add salt if needed.

4) My new seasoning of choice for baking or frying chicken is Smoked Paprika. I can't get enough of it.

5) When making a roast of beef or pork try using lots of sage and garlic also fresh cilantro and garlic/onion in paste form, to season under the skin of the meat.

As it's about dinner time, give or take, I wanted to touch on a few cooking tips. I am not the best cook, okay I'm good just not great, but I'm known as the woman who could make a tasty meal out of anything left in your refrigerator. We didn't have much as kids, correction, I grew up poor. So I became creative. My poor brother still loves mayo sandwiches from all the contraptions I came up with for us to eat while my mom was at work.

In college the condiments made for spicing up lunch and free water sugar and lemons when you bought a cup for 10 cents. My roommates would send me to the kitchen as they would say, "there's three ingredients in the fridge, go in there and mix us up a 5 course meal as you do". So I will write some quick tips from the top of my head, after this next song........

Hi Everyone. I'm Back. Work was good. I have been working with a teenager who is adopted and having a difficult time. I'm working on teaching her how to advocate for herself. She is doing better but you know teenagers, it's all about one day at a time.

Here's the Fashion Show I told you about. One guy messes up the video but otherwise I like the song.

To see postings for the day scroll to bottom of page and press older posts on the middle right side of page. Here's a commercial break while I'm at work. More to come with music, prizes, fashion show, helpful posts, cooking tips and the.....Big Reveal. Follow this site and get a free gift!!!

I'm going to be taking a commercial Break soon as I am getting ready to go to work in a little while, for about two and a half hours. I'll be back for the evening segment. Below are two cute videos emailed to me. They are so cute. Enjoy.

ELLEN!!! Ellen is the first to win our prize today! Thanks for following. Last year I was encouraged by the people who became friends to the site. One person logged in at 11:59 pm and received the last gift of the day. One new member, received her gift and forgot it was coming. She later emailed me from the mid west saying it came just in time. So You really can win a prize for signing up before the cut off time.

Just scroll to the bottom of page and click on Blue button under "Friends". Then comment or email me so that I know you joined: liveeverafter@gmail.com

I have been counseling couples for a long time now. After 20 years of helping couples there is always a theme or common thread within the relationship. Everyone talks about communication but I want to speak about the other "C" word.

Through every stage of engagement, more clearly seen in the very beginning, one must always have a no nonsense attitude. It's the reason why we are attracted to those who don't notice us or give off the energy that they can live without you.

They have a certain air of strength about them. They appear worth the catch. Then as the relationship progresses, one should still have that attitude. My favorite saying is from Dr. Phil. "We teach people how to treat us". Is that not true?

Then when we are going along in a few years of courtship we hit bumps. Some are common milestones in every relationship. You are becoming balanced. Commonly at two and around the five year mark. This is the time when you should stay confident. The tendency is to stop everything, no, don't loose it, keep going.

Ever wonder why when you break up with someone they seem to look better especially when they re-date. Why is that? They kept in going and had the CONFIDENCE to love themselves and know they are worthy of happiness-even with someone else. So don't wait for a break up to get confident. Do it because you're worth it.

Have a healthy balance of integrity, apologizing when your wrong, be tender and loving, continue with the gifts, fight to make it work, cry when you need to, but don't leave out the fact that you are a great catch! The healthy balance is that there is no one like you, You're strengths rock and your weakness can be made into strengths, that will work for you.

I couldn't have an anniversary Shing Dig without mentioning Tessa Souter. She is my former co-worker, Jazz Singer and Blogger Extraordinaire. She started blogging and showing her coworkers all about her gigs abroad. She is LOVED in Russia. You can see her in her essence around New York elites.

One day in the office she heard about my love for writing. Tessa jumped on the computer and helped me start my first blog of three, Live Ever After (Happily). As she was a former writer for ELLE Magazine, I was highly impressed by her. On another work day she was checking her mail when a Tessa laughter shot out at the shock of a young woman who heard Tessa's song and made a video of it. The woman's name is Kara. Tessa found her information and called her to say great job with the video. Kara was so in shock that Tessa would call her; she refused to believe it was her.

You can hear Tessa's songs, "You Don't Have to Believe" and see Kara's version of the song, with video below.

*You can Visit Tessa's Site to see her next performance at tessasouter.com

Let's get started on the Prizes. LEA is a site on Marriage and relationships. If you follow the site today, by the cut off time, you will be able to win a prize. If you are already a member, make 4 comments throughout the day and you are eligible for a prize as well. To follow scroll to the bottom of the site. Let me know if you are a new follower today by commenting or emailing: liveeverafter@gmail.com

Happy2nd Anniversary Live EverAfter!Thanks for visiting LEA's Blog Party. We have a lot in store for you today. We have Music, Prizes, Funny Videos, Awesome Tips, Helpful Posts, and lots more. The line up is all about variety. I have a little of last years favorites and lots of new stuff for your enjoyment. Hope you enjoy the Blog Show. Let's get started with a little music.....

>> Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Anniversary

Well It's almost here! Live Ever After's (LEA) 2nd Anniversary Shing Dig. Last year was a blast with 17 posts! It was a lot of hard work and lots of Fun. Hopefully I will have many more viewers this year. I am keeping what works, like music and prizes. There will be a few new surprises and.....The Big Reveal.

So make plans in your schedule to stop by This Site, next week Friday, October 28, 2011 from 10am to midnight. Get ready for this tons off fun at my second annual virtual party, conveniently brought to you in the luxury of your home and/or work .

>> Thursday, October 06, 2011

Don't be so serious. Laugh a little. It's like a yawn it is infectious! (Did you just yawn hearing the word yawn?) When the bills are piling and the kids are fighting and someone at work is talking about you and there are issues with relatives and in-laws and you still haven't been able to do that one thing you enjoy, put a smile on your face and start making fun of life.

Be light hearted, share funny things with your spouse which you read online. My husband shared this caption with me last night: (Picture of a man standing and looking on the inside of a car, speaking to a woman driver). Heading: "Real Male Prostitution" Man: Hey baby, I'll talk with you all night long. (Get it? Women want to talk, even if she has to pay a male solicitor).

He enjoys sharing funny things he sees online with amazing pets and funny lol videos. It really has made me lighten up. It has been infectious and I decided to play more with the kids. I haven't played Uno in some time with my six year old who I let win more times than I want to admit and I enjoyed scaring my eight year old who found it expectant for mommy to be childish. How sad as I haven't been immature for them as often as I used to before they got" big boy" homeworks.

I played a joke on my husband and he was impressed. But repaid me well when he was speaking of all the new things he would get. One of which I shook my finger in his face while he was driving and said as long as you don't come home with a hot babe. He then stated, "What do I need with a hot babe, I have one at home, what I need is a cool babe"!

Have fun, enjoy the moments, create fun times and don't be so serious!

I was happy to start this blog as I am married myself and know how difficult married life can be. I also know many joys and experiencing a sense of oneness with my spouse. I am a counselor by profession with two Masters degrees and have counseled many couples with much success. I also have two adorable children who make my marriage even richer in love.